Firefighters fired... WTF ?

**Hannibal** · 04-08-09, 07:24 PM

Firemen Fired after FOX 2 Investigation

Firemen Fired after FOX
2 Investigation

Last Edited: Wednesday, 08 Apr 2009, 4:59 PM EDT

Created On: Wednesday, 08 Apr 2009, 4:58 PM EDT

Scott Lewis
DETROIT - - The city of Detroit is coming down hard on firefighters caught "red handed" in a Problem Solver investigation. FOX 2 News has learned that the city has fired three firefighters who helped themselves to a storm door at a house on the east side of Detroit. It was all caught on tape by a FOX 2 viewer.

The video surprised and angered a lot of people. A FOX 2 viewer started his camera rolling when he saw a fire truck pull up in front of a vacant house. He thought the place might be on fire, but it was not.
All of a sudden, one firefighter walked out carrying a perfectly good storm door and a second helped him load it on the fire truck. They drove off with the door and later said they had taken it to use at the fire house because the city does a poor job of maintaining fire houses and they have to scavenge for parts.
The door was taken from a tax subsidized home that was built just six years ago for low income renters. The home and others like it in the neighborhood were stripped clean by thieves when renters moved out. The place was wide open when the firefighters walked in and helped themselves to the storm door.
Three firefighters, including the two seen on the video, have been fired. A fourth, who was driving and never left the truck, is being disciplined, but will not lose his job.
The three were fired for neglect of duty, but there's a chance they could get their jobs back. They have a right to take their case to a fire department trial board and the trial board could reverse the firings. Meanwhile, police have confiscated the storm door and a criminal investigation is ongoing.